Chapter Eighteen

Jerbo sighed with contentment as he closed up Hexside's greenhouse for the day, brushing some dirt from his cheek and mentally preparing for the rest of his weekend. Part of the plant-care program in the Plant track was the after-school care time; another was during the weekend. Jerbo had been chosen for this weekend, and while he didn't dislike it at all, he really did need to work on the upcoming Abominations project.

Jerbo pocketed his key and turned to head home, but a distant roar, the sight of a plume of smoke, and a faint scream drew his attention. His first instinct was to run away, curse him, but he grit his teeth and ran toward the direction of the event. After a minute, he realized he had arrived at the grudgeby field.

The Banshees were splayed out across the field, all of them covered in soot and groaning in pain — except Boscha, who was standing with her hands on her hips, wearing her soot like a badge of honor and looking smug. Jerbo hid behind the bleachers, understandably wary of the grudgeby captain.

"Nice work, ladies!" Boscha shouted. "Yeah, the Inferno still needs work. But it could have gone worse; no one's dead, anyway." She flicked her hand and began walking away. "Hit the showers. And you know what? No practice Monday! We could use a break."

As Boscha left, the rest of the team slowly stumbled to their feet and began making their way to the showers, visibly grumbling along the way. Jerbo pursed his lips at a sudden bout of curiosity and impulsively traced a circle to grow a thin plant reaching his waist, capped with a bronze conical flower — an ear drop flower. A few beds of smaller ear drops bloomed along the path to the showers, listening in on the conversation and relaying it to the tall plant.

"Like Boscha's the one who needs a break," Amelia groused. "I'm hurting in places I didn't know I had!"

"I'll fix you up, girls," Cat promised, though her voice was thick. "Just gimme a minute to relax and I'll handle it."

"Cat, you're working yourself too hard," Skara chided. "We really need to find another healer for the team; playing and patching us up is too much of a workload for one person. I'll talk to Bo, see if she'll be the team's extra medic."

Cat sighed. "As much as I want to feel hurt that you don't think I can handle it, my aching muscles agree with you. Seconded by the aching bile sac after every practice."

"So what are you girls doing for the day?" Amelia asked with surprising brightness in her tone.

"Quincey and I are going to the zoo in Femora," Skara chirped. "His cousin works with the giant bats and promised us a good-"

Jerbo frowned as the feed was cut off, tracing a circle around the ear drop flower to see what was wrong. Wait, was that smoke he smelled? He sniffed and confirmed it was smoke from burning foliage. But what could-?

"Having fun?" a voice asked. Jerbo yelped and spun around, summoning his staff for protection. Amelia was leaning against the bleacher supports, arms crossed and looking none too pleased. "What's going on here?" she asked monotonically.

"Amelia!" Jerbo yelped, his voice cracking. "I, uh- Smoke and, um, maybe hurt, then Boscha and you were all kinda mad so I just-" He blinked at the babbling mess that had come out of his own mouth, sighing and letting Steve retract into his true shape. "Can you explain this?" The hedgehog palisman chittered. "No? Okay." He took a deep breath.

"I just finished up tending the greenhouse," Jerbo explained, rubbing the back of his head as his cheeks burned. "I heard a scream and saw smoke and I wondered if someone was hurt. Then I saw Boscha talking and hid back here, and then she went off and you girls were kinda mad and I got curious." He huffed a humorless chuckle. "Guess she's not as beloved as she thinks."

Amelia's demeanor didn't change and the silence stretched on. She narrowed her eyes a bit and glanced at Steve, who chittered in greeting, waving a tiny paw. Amelia giggled, her stoic facade breaking in the face of the palisman's cuteness. "Okay, fine. I believe you." Her small smile faded, and she levelled a finger at him. "But if you spy on me or my friends again, I'll bury you. Got it?"

Jerbo stared at her blankly for a few moments before her words clicked and he blushed from his collar to the roots of his hair. "Oh Titan, no way! I swear, it wasn't that!" He waved his hands in front of him in protest. "C'mon, Amelia, it's not like that! One, I'm not like that! Two, Viney would kill me if I was! Three, Barcus would be so disappointed! Four, Willow and Luz would be disappointed, and Amity and Gus and Hunter, too! And-!"

Jerbo was interrupted by Amelia bursting out into laughter, holding her belly under her grudgeby uniform as tears streamed down her face. Jerbo's blush faded from burning to simmering in the wake of such honest, joyful laughter. He realized he liked that sound.

"Y'know, you're kinda awkward and stuff," Amelia tittered, brushing a tear from her eye. "But I like that. And Luz is friends with you, so you can't be all bad." She swiped her bangs from her eyes. "Look, I gotta shower and head home." She pointed at him again. "Watch yourself around my friends, right?" Jerbo nodded in intimidation, and Amelia smiled. "'Kay, good." She waved. "See you in class, Jerbo."

As she walked away, hips swaying, Jerbo watched her with a warm smile. She hadn't killed him, even when she'd found him in a compromising position. And she'd probably noticed his beds of ear drop flowers; that showed observation and skill in her track.

As Amelia turned the corner, Jerbo's warm smile fell into blank realization as he felt a familiar tingle in his gut. Steve nudged him with limp spines, chittering with good humor. "Oh no, not again," he whimpered.

Wild magic …?

"What do you mean?" Willow asked, blinking in confusion.

Hunter's eyes widened and he looked away in apparent shock. He was silent, eyes still wide and staring at nothing as he processed something. "Willow … What you did, where your eyes glowed … that was wild magic." He held her hand firmly, breathing deeply as he looked to be ordering his thoughts. "I've … read a lot about wild magic. You could call it a hobby of sorts. And I've read about drawing magic straight from the Isles and mixing it with your magic bile. It's said to be difficult to learn and dangerous if you're not powerful enough … but you did it." He smiled wistfully, but sadly. "The glow is the power of the Titan suffusing your blood and shining through your eyes."

Willow stared at him in … she wasn't even sure what she was feeling. Shock? Awe? Confusion? None of that covered it. She'd been surrounded all her life by the conventional belief that wild magic was dangerous and should be avoided. But recent events since meeting Luz and then Eda and King had shown her that such things were not so cut and dry.

And she was using wild magic? Without even thinking about it? It … made sense, actually, even if she'd never consciously made that connection. She remembered all the times she had felt that mysterious fount of extra power welling inside her, when she was furious or driven to protect her friends. It had lessened over time as she'd been in the Plant track and further learned to refine her favorite form of magic, but had resurfaced seemingly when it was most needed.

"You studied wild magic?" Willow asked. It wasn't a shock, exactly. Hunter was a studious witchling, eager to research magic in a way that reminded her very much of Luz. But researching something condemned by "the man," as Eda would call it …? "Why?"

Hunter's lips thinned and he seemed to chew on his words. "My uncle … he's sick," he said through gritted teeth. "I hoped that wild magic might be able to help him, but …" He groaned and rubbed his eyes. "You know how the Emperor hates wild magic? Yeah, my uncle hates it just as much." Hunter clenched his free hand, though his grip on Willow's hand remained gentle. "He refuses to accept help from it."

Hunter shook his head and looked back at Willow. "And that's why I asked. Willow, wild magic is … maybe not dangerous, or more dangerous than other magic. But it is illegal, and-" He hissed and ran a hand over the side of his head, where … a line of his hair was shorter than the rest. "I don't want you getting hurt, Willow."

Willow wasn't sure how to process this. With everything she'd experienced in the last few months, she knew wild magic wasn't as bad as people — namely the Emperor and his coven — claimed it to be. But it was still illegal and punishable by … well, given Eda's recent sentence, petrification was definitely on the table.

"I guess I'm lucky no one's noticed," Willow admitted. Her mind wandered as she ran her thumb over the back of Hunter's. She thought aimlessly as she leaned over and into Hunter's frame, smiling as she felt the pressure of him leaning back. "What do you want to do for a coven?" Willow asked randomly.

"Huh?" Hunter asked in surprise.

"It's still illegal to not be in one," Willow said, guilt coiling in her belly. She no longer had the full intention of joining one. All her life she'd wanted to join the Plant Coven, up until the petrification ceremony. With Eda's anti-coven opinions so strongly validated, it made her wary of joining. But Hunter wasn't involved in all of that. "What coven would you join?"

Hunter winced. "Ever since I was a kid, I wanted … to join the Emperor's Coven," he whispered, like a dirty secret.

Willow tensed, going rigid at the thought before forcing herself to relax. "Oh?"

"Just so I could research magic," he said. "And ... so that no one would think to look into my … condition. I mean," he chuckled hollowly, painfully, brokenly, "why would a powerless witch join a coven that doesn't restrict their members' magic?"

Willow frowned and buried her head into the side of Hunter's neck. "I don't care about that," she said. "I care about you just the way you are."

Hunter blinked against the burning behind his eyes, refusing to show weakness even to Willow. "What about you?" he asked, his cadence odd. "I mean, I assume the Plant Coven, right?"

Willow smiled. "It's always been my top choice," she admitted. "And not because it's one of the Main Nine. Just because I like the idea of such a large group of people who share my interests."

Hunter smiled a little at the thought. That was what the coven system was supposed to be. He'd read the histories and knew that Belos had derived the modern idea of covens from trade guilds — groups of witches and demons who formed unions to pool knowledge and resources for the benefit of their trade. Voluntary membership, though, was something Belos would not stand for in his quest to purge wild magic.

All he could say to that was, "That sounds nice."

They lapsed into silence then, simply enjoying each others' presence and contact. Occasionally, they would lean up or down to kiss the others' cheek before settling back, to the giggy laughs of the other. They slowly nuzzled tighter and tighter together, body warmth making them drowsy.

Soon enough, they were peacefully asleep.

Eun opened the door with his free hand, the other holding a sack of groceries, and swung it wide to let Gilbert through with the rest of the groceries. Eun stifled a chuckle at the sight of his husband carrying so many that he could barely balance them, and thought it was sweet enough that he refused to laugh.

Eun placed his grocery bag down and began to sort them while Gilbert checked Willow's room for her, some instinct telling him to remain quiet. He quirked an eyebrow at the empty bedroom and padded through the apartment to check the den … and paused when he entered.

Hunter and Willow were sound asleep on the couch. Willow's head was pillowed on Hunter's chest, the boy's arm wrapped around her waist to hold her close and Willow's hands were holding his forearm as if to keep him there. Hunter's head was lolling over the back of the couch, his mouth open as he faintly snored and a little drool was trailing from Willow's mouth.

Gilbert covered his mouth in both amusement and faint joy at the sight. These two were so comfortable with each other. Part of him was admittedly concerned at the pace of such a thing, but the rest was overjoyed that Willow had found someone who cared so much.

Hunter snorted and awoke, ears perked and twitching in agitation. He looked around with clipped movements, as if expecting an attack, before his gaze settled on Gilbert and he relaxed a little. Then he blushed and looked down at Willow, her head resting on his chest and his arm around her waist. Gilbert could see the tension ratchet up in his body as he sat in a somewhat compromising position under the gaze of Willow's less-tolerant parent.

Tellingly, he moved not an inch. He ensured Willow remained undisturbed.

Gilbert eyed the boy before nodding in acceptance and leaving the den. He was careful to close the door gently, then joined Eun in sorting groceries. "Willow didn't want to help?" Eun asked in surprise.

"She's … busy," Gilbert said. He looked at his husband and quailed under his sharp, curious look. "Fine. She's snuggled up to that Hunter boy on the couch, sound asleep." He smiled a bit. "Hunter woke up and found me staring at them and I could see him freaking out. But he didn't move a muscle to disturb Willow." He picked up a jar of crabapple preserves, Willow's favorite as a child, and sighed. "She really is growing up fast."

Willow's laughter could suddenly be heard from the den. Apparently she'd woken up, and probably Hunter had told her about what had happened. "You know. There's no one on the Boiling Isles I would ever admit is good enough for our daughter …" Gilbert mused.

"But?" Eun prodded.

"That Hunter boy … comes … pretty close."

"And why have you called a private audience, Kiki?" Belos asked.

"My liege," Kikimora said, bowing so low her torso was level with the floor, "I am deeply sorry to tell you … but the Golden Guard is failing in his mission."

Silence.

"A serious accusation, Kikimora," Belos all-but-growled. "What evidence do you bring to support such a claim?"

Kikimora clapped her hands twice and a side door to the throne room opened to admit Phlegming, the coven spy. The spy swallowed thickly, his usual impeccable calm faltering in the presence of his Emperor and high commander. He adjusted his glasses and approached with a low bow of his own. "I live to serve, Emperor Belos."

"I'm sure," Belos drawled. "I do hope you have an explanation, Kikimora."

"Of course, Emperor Belos," Kikimora said, nervousness welling. "As I have mentioned before, I had my misgivings about a child, even one as accomplished as the Golden Guard infiltrating the trust of a ... young lady. And so I took it upon myself to place a check upon his progress." She gestured at Phlegming. "I assigned one of our best covert operatives to observe, and to only observe."

"Speak your piece, Spy," Belos commanded.

"Kikimora contacted me with a mission she claimed to be from the throne," Phlemging began tonelessly. Kikimora's visible eye widened in shock; how had he known this wasn't from the Emperor before now? "She assigned me to spy upon a teen witchling attending Hexside school, a girl in the Plant track. She levied orders to report any unusual activities that may be tied to … subversive efforts of the Owl Lady."

"And your findings?" Belos asked neutrally.

"The girl is a typical witchling, if one with potential for our own coven," Phlegming reported, adjusting his glasses without moving his gaze from the Emperor. "She spends her time at the Owl House for simple social fun with the human girl, Luz Noceda. She is close with her family, cares deeply for her friends and her plants, and is favored by her instructors." His eyes narrowed just a bit. "And she is also favored by one of our own."

As if on cue, the doors to the throne room opened to reveal Lady Feronia, dressed in a high-necked purple robe with green trimming.

"Lady Feronia," Kikimora said, her tone both reproachful and nervous, "this intrusion is most unacceptable!"

"Actually, I summoned her," Phlegming said with a faint grin. "Call her a third pair of eyes." Kikimora's eye widened in shock … and no small amount of fear.

"Forgive my interruption, Emperor Belos," Feronia said with a low bow of her head.

"Not at all," Belos replied stoically. "What news, have you, of the Golden Guard's mission?"

"The Golden Guard has grown quite close to the child in a short time and absorbed himself into her inner circle. The human is suspicious, but also naively optimistic, perhaps even thinking he can be swayed from the Titan's path. But the target child is clearly infatuated with him and lowering her guard." Feronia smiled sharply. "I have no doubt that he will receive exactly what he needs very soon."

Belos drummed his fingers. "And you know of this, how?" he asked.

"As your spy reported, the child is talented," Feronia said. "And as I reported all those weeks ago, she is quite powerful. I feel she would make an excellent addition to the Plant Coven."

"Unless she is learning wild magic," Belos growled.

"Especially then," Feronia replied evenly. "Binding her to a coven will dampen her interest and reliance on such things. And with the Day of Unity so close at hand …"

"Her knowledge will be rendered moot," Belos mused. His fingertips continued to drum upon his armrest. "The Golden Guard has been given his ultimatum. One week to locate his target's wild teacher and bind her to a coven." His drumming stopped. "If you wish to aid him in the latter, Feronia, I have no objection."

"My deepest gratitude, Emperor Belos," she replied.

"Naturally," Belos replied with a bit of smugness, and lifted his fingers. "Leave us. Phlegming, report to the assignment offices for your new mission." The spy nodded and followed Lady Feronia out. Kikimora moved to do the same, but spikes of stone arose from the floor before retracting back into pristine smoothness. "Ah, ah, ah, Kiki," Belos sneered, "you have not been dismissed." He stood to his towering height and descended the steps, staff flaring with ominous red light.

"We have matters verging on treason to discuss …"

Chapter 18! Yeah!

*"Quincey" that Skara mentioned is her boyfriend, the horseshoe bat-looking guy who took her to Grom. He's named for John Quincey Morris, the Texan (like me!) who staked Dracula with a friggin' Bowie knife in the novel.

*Femora is a town I made up located on the upper leg of the Boiling Isles, named for the femoral muscles in the quadriceps.

*The origins of the coven system are based upon my own ideas and refined/codified by the work of "The Owl Coven" by Kungfu Blaziken.

*Gilbert's line about Hunter being "pretty close" was pulled from Spy Kids 2. I like it and think it fits.

If you liked it, leave a review! I've fleshed out a lot of the remainder and have settled on a conclusion, so ... here's to greatness, whatever it may be!